2011 State Elections in Germany

[Leftbehind]

I've never understood SPD's comfortableness with getting into bed with CDU (the same would be unthinkable here - but tbf our Conservatives are sociopaths) but then from what I've seen of the SPD, it rivals our Labour for being chock full of neoliberals/centrists, who are probably more comfortable in a centre-right coalition than a centre-left with De Linke.

You seen the same sh**t in Ireland with their Labour surging to second party status to throw it all away on a coalition with what are meant to be their ideological enemies. Beyond belief.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Exaggerated emphasis on stability and/or respectability or something like that, presumably. Fears of a repeat of what happened in Hesse a few years ago, which would be irrational, of course. Factional stuff as well? I suppose there might be additional personal issues in Saarland as presumably a lot of Die Linke's politicians will be ex-SPD types who left with Lafontaine.

[Middle-aged Europe]

From what I've heard, prime minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) didn't dissolve the coalition until she had made sure through some backroom talks that the SPD would be willing to form a new government with her.

Without that deal she probably would have tried to continue the CDU/FDP/Green coalition. Which makes sense because "Jamaica" certainly seemed salvageable at this point. The termination of the government really came abrupt.

[republicanism]

Exaggerated emphasis on stability and/or respectability or something like that, presumably.

You nailed it, basically.

The party hasn't mentally recovered from the major knockout that the 2009 election was. Since then the party is unbelievable unassertive and afraid to take any risk, even more so than before.

In case of the Saarland, it helps that the CDU there is probably the most left wing in Germany with traditionally strong roots in the catholic working class.